Dark Lineage
by Emperor K. Rool
Summary: Donkey Kong's archnemesis, King K. Rool, makes an interesting proposition to everyone's favorite psychic pokeclone at a Super Smash Bros. Tournament. K. Rool persuades Mewtwo that he is one of the good guys and will help the pokeclone destroy Team Rocket if he helps K. Rool to overthrow Bowser. Secret ties between K. Rool, Team Rocket, and The Sharpclaw are exposed!
1. Chapter 1

This story is my return to Nintendo. It's mainly been inspired by the introduction of a female Mewtwo in the Pokémon anime. This fic could easily be a Pokémon fic, but I have bigger plans involving other characters that make this a Super Smash Bros. It very heavily features King K. Rool from Donkey Kong Country, and both Mewtwos and Giovanni from Pokémon. Bowser from Mario is slightly less centric. Ganondorf and Star Wolf make appearances.

* * *

There were many worlds. Anyone familiar with the history of the Mushroom World knew that. After all, a plumber from Brooklyn, New York, USA, Earth was more famous in the Mushroom Kingdom than Princess Peach herself. But until Master Hand had shown up and made the Super Smash Bros. Tournaments a yearly occasion, travel between worlds was almost always accidental.

_Almost always_, K. Rool thought. Once his people, the Kremlings had been the most advanced civilization in the Mushroom World. From their original homeland in Kaos Kore in the Northern Kremisphere, they had spread to the daughter cultures of Krematoa, Kremlantis, and Crocodile Isle. In an age before electricity and the steam engine, the ancient Kremlings had uncovered a massive source of geothermal energy. It was clean and renewable and enabled the Kremlings to rise from fishers, hunter-gathers, and and subsistence farmers to a society of poets, philosophers, explorers and scientists. By experimenting with the multicolored crystals that contained this energy, the Kremlings created the volcanic island Krematoa in the Northern Kremisphere and the volcanic islands of Kremlantis and Crocodile Isle in the DK Isles. It was from these islands that K. Rool's ancestors took their title _Rex Insularum_. But when the Kongs had destroyed the energy siphons on Krematoa and Kremlantis, that left only Crocodile Isle standing above the waves. The Kremlings of Kaos Kore regarded their island dwelling brothers as warmongers and would not help them. The survivors crowded on Crocodile Isle which rapidly became filthy and polluted. When envoys from the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms first reached Crocodile Isle they assumed that they Kremlings had always been a species that did not care for nature. And the Kongs preferred the Mushroom version of history to their neighbor's version of history.

The Earth year 1995 caused the Mushroom World to revise its views of the Kremlings. That year K. Rool tapped into the submerged energy siphon of Kremlantis and raised the island. What the archeologists found there was proof of a culture that lived in harmony with nature, the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms had revised their views on ancient Kremling history. Sadly that was also the year that the Kongs disrupted the energy flow at Crocodile Core on Crocodile Isle forcing it to sink. On the whole things could be worse.

in 1996 Krematoa was raised and work was begun on an artificial Crocodile Isle. The main population of Kremlings lived on this artificial Crocodile Isle or in Kaos Kore, while the nobility and intellectuals spent long holidays in resorts or private estates on Kremlantis or Krematoa. K. Rool was at a resort he legally owned in southwestern Krematoa, where the jungle met the mountains. His room contained both a bedroom area and a study. Most of it looked rather ordinary: brown chests-of-drawers, grey-green carpet, brown chairs and tables. However, one item stood out. To the untrained eye it looked like a flat screen high definition TV with black casing. One of its settings was for two way face-to-face communication across realms. Kremling scientists had long ago realized that the crystals could open portals in spacetime from one realm to another, and K. Rool had for decades been coordinating his activities with allies in other realms.

One ally, with whom he actually formed one of the few genuine friendships in his life, was Ganondorf. Ganondorf's people, the Gerudo, had a genetic sensitivity to an energy field in their homeworld. They could manipulate it like magic. They lacked the technological sophistication and scientific understanding to distinguish between magic and the stranger parts of science. Ganondorf however had been interested enough in K. Rool's world to let the Kremling King install a power generator and a comm device in his castle. The two kept each other informed on events in each other's worlds, addressed each other as familiars, and shared many a good laugh at Bowser, the Koopa King's, expense. Neither would go so far as to actually trust the other with his life, but they did like each other.

K. Rool turned on the comm device and entered the code for Ganondorf's castle. It took five minutes but his ally finally responded.

"Crășa, how goeth it with thee?"

"Charming as always, Ganon. And yourself?"

"A day nearer to claiming the Triforce," Ganondorf said, the tone in his voice indicating the exact opposite was in fact the case.

"Well, I have come upon a brilliant plan that could help both of us. You know Mewtwo from the tournaments?"

"The psychic cat? Yea. But what pray tell has he to do with either of us?"

K. Rool decided that Ganondorf did not need to know about his prior activities in the Pokémon world. He had helped the Madame Boss to found Team Rocket, engender mutual loathing between her and her son Giovanni, which Giovanni took out on Mewtwo. It had been K. Rool's plan from Team Rocket's foundation to unleash an enraged monster upon the Pokémon world, that would clear it of all human life and leave it open for Kremling settlement. That plan had almost worked.

"I know that human scientists recently cloned another, with one crucial difference," K. Rool paused, intentionally leaving Ganondorf hanging for a few moments. Finally he said, "She's female."

"It was unexpected that there would be a second. The two will be drawn to each other. It will be easy to notify Team Rocket of their existence, and offer them our protection in exchange for doing our biding."

"This be the same kind of strong arming that got Mewtwo to leave Team Rocket in the first place," Ganondorf said, not sounding convinced.

"It will work because he will not know that we notified Giovanni. We are going to present ourselves as only wanting to help and as coming from the same moral standing place as Mewtwo. His main objective has always been helping his people, whether that be cloned Pokémon, all Pokémon, or now more specifically, his likely mate and potential offspring. My goal has always been helping the Kremlings and yours the Gerudo."

"We would have to offer to help him against Team Rocket regardless of whether he agreeth to help us or no," Ganondorf said, not sure that this would be worth the investment.

"Naturally, but the more we help them, the more they will come to trust us. This may take years but don't you want the powers of two Mewtwos in addition to your own to use against Link and Zelda?"

"Indeed, that would be useful. But what if he asketh how Team Rocket found him?" Ganondorf asked. Very often they would do this: one would purpose a plan; the other would critique it.

"I know how to plant a trail of evidence linking Giovanni to my greatest royal rival, Bowser, King of the Koopas."

"So, now thy goal becometh apparent. Gain control of the Mushroom World. Canst thou achieve that through offering the cats protection alone?"

"My plans for the moment require only the elimination of Bowser and Giovanni alone. I will deal with Donkey Kong and Mario myself. Mewtwo will naturally see to the elimination of Team Rocket's rivals when Giovanni is gone. What I suggest you do is think of a way to convince him why the Triforce should be united and placed in your care."

Ganondorf grew slightly irritated asking, "Why couldst not thou come up with a way to associate the royal family of Hyrule with Team Rocket?"

"Because I happen to know that Bowser and Giovanni really do correspond with each other. Mewtwo is a friend of Ash Ketchum. He already considers him a non-threat. He will be less sure about Zelda and Link. If you can convince him, that you, like him, are only misunderstood and that only a Gerudo has the ability to wield all three pieces of the Triforce, he will probably agree to help you. I leave the details of that conversation entirely up to you."

"Thanks a lot, Crășa," Ganondorf said feeling short changed.

"Look, I'll help persuade the Mewtwos that you need their help, but remember, I'm the one putting forward most of the resources here. I'll have soldiers waiting to help them when Team Rocket attacks but if you want to send some Gerudo archers it could only help things for you," K. Rool suggested.

Ganondorf smiled and chuckled, and said "That I shall do. Contact me when we are ready to begin."

"As always, Ganon. Bye for now." K. Rool entered a new code on his remote and Ganondorf's face disappeared.

He contacted Giovanni, who also had a comm device at Team Rocket HQ. The response was quicker and much colder.

"What do _you_ want?" Giovanni asked. His face was partially obscured by shadows.

"I'd recommend you address your chief interdemensional benefactor with a bit more respect, boy," K. Rool said. He loved putting Giovanni in his place. Compared to Bowser, Ganondorf, and himself, Giovanni was a small time criminal from a dimensional backwater.

"Don't call me 'boy,'" Giovanni said coldly.

"I'll call you whatever I want. Do you want 'Weapon X' back or not?"

Giovanni grunted. K. Rool was aware that Mewtwo had most likely erased Giovanni's personal memories of him, but that there was no way Mewtwo could have erased all the Team Rocket data files regarding his creation, paper or digital.

"If I recall, I persuaded your mother to go ahead with that project, and your girlfriend died in the mountains searching for a Mew."

"Just get to your point, K. Rool!" Giovanni was angered that he had to be reminded of how he lost Miyamoto. K. Rool, on the other hand, was enjoying tormenting him, reminding him of the fact that at the end of the day K. Rool was the one holding Team Rocket's purse strings.

"My point is I know where you can find Mewtwo."

"He regularly competes in the Super Smash Bros. Tournaments. I know. So does Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu."

"Did you know that there is now a female Mewtwo?"

"My memory is hazy, but I thought we only cloned one."

"Looks like someone was spying for Team Plasma. Remind me, Giovanni, what do I pay you for security?"

Giovanni grunted, eager for this call with the Kremling that ruined his life to be over.

"I want Rockets at the next tournament which will be held in three weeks' time. Follow Ash and his Pikachu. And don't even think about using James, your incompetent daughter, or their talking Meowth. Those three make Klump look intelligent!"

"How are we supposed to capture the Mewtwos? They are very strong, and Master Balls are hard to come by!"

K. Rool sighed and entered a code for a data stream to be fed through the com device. Giovanni inclined his head.

"I've just sent the schematics for weapons which can project force fields to hold the Mewtwos in place. Just do your best to catch them and prove my assessment of you wrong." K. Rool switched off the comm. He would send his own battalion of Kritters with Donkey Kong, presumably on the pretext of one trying to become a contestant. They would rescue the Mewtwos at the last second. Ash Ketchum had ruined his scheme to use Mewtwo to destroy all Human life, but K. Rool would still see the Mewtwos conquer the Pokémon world for the Kremling Empire! Ash offered friendship, K. Rool would offer the chance to stop Team Rocket and similar organizations from ever being threats again. And he intended for the Mewtwos to have something worth protecting by the time they left the Mushroom World.

* * *

Author's note: I'm sticking fairly close to the cannon of the Pokémon animé, bending it just occasionally for influence from other Nintendo Worlds. Miyamoto is Jessie's mom from the Japanese CD drama, _The Birth of Mewtwo_. I'm also drawing on the Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land games for the locations of Kremling Civilization. Since _The Legend of Zelda_ takes place in more than one timeline I don't feel as compelled to follow any particular timeline there.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Nintendo, Game Freak, or Rare. I reference events in my story "Memoires of a Psychic Pokèclone in this chapter. When I wrote that I used the appearance of Hollywood in the animé and the Andes in the CD drama to conclude that the Pokémon was our world. Now I'm not so sure. I've also taken great artistic license in expanding Madame Boss's role in Mewtwo X's origin.

* * *

There were few things Mewtwo enjoyed more than unleashing his psychic powers in the controlled environment of a Super Smash Bros. Tournament. One of those things was his mate. They were the only two Mewtwos in the multiverse so they did not have individual names. They didn't need them between each other, but when humans like Ash addressed them, it could get confusing as to which Mewtwo he was talking.

Mewtwo looked at his mate talking to Ash. She was closer to the human boy than he was, even though Ash had saved his life on Mt. Quena. Ash had shown Mewtwo that not all humans were evil, and he was grateful for that but he was still distrustful of humans at large. He would perform a good mind wipe where she would simply ask the humans to forget. He loved her and so far had adopted her policy, but part of his mind, the part that still distrusted humans, told him that this policy would be their undoing.

The two Mewtwos were very happy together. They had both unlocked their Mega-Evolutions. She was MegaMewtwo Y and he was MegaMewtwo X. Humans could simply distinguish between them by calling her Y and him X. At the same time he didn't like being referred to as a letter, and didn't like the thought of her being referred to as a letter. Her treatment at the hands of the scientists who created her was far worse than his own. Yet, she was far less bitter about life than he was. He chalked that up to the fact that she was taken in by Pokémon, and he was taken in by Giovanni, the walking definition of an evil human. That led to the question that woke him up late at night—because of what he had done on New Island, even though he'd reformed, did that mean he was once an evil Pokémon. He had uncovered the truth about Giovanni's mother and knew that Jessie was Giovanni's daughter. He had gone on a vengeance kick after Giovanni had tried to recapture him on Mt. Quena and learned that as evil as he was, Giovanni did love his daughter. Could good and evil elements exist simultaneously in the same individual?

Speaking of elements of evil existing in an otherwise "good" individual, Mewtwo's opponent in this match, Falco Lombardi was a mercenary who in theory would work for anyone, but had, to Mewtwo's admittedly limited knowledge, only accepted assignments from his government and was considered a war hero. For this match they were fighting in a Pokémon stadium, rather on the Great Fox, hundreds of miles in the sky. Mewtwo was almost disappointed. The roar of fans could be a distraction. On top of the Great Fox, the closest the fans would get would be a camera feed. There was really only one fan he cared about impressing and he could do that even more easily on top of the Great Fox,

Master Hand gave the announcement and the match began. At that moment from inside the crowd, Team Rocket agents threw what looked like miniature versions of the devices used at Mt. Quena into the arena. The devices fired beams of energy at Mewtwo and caught him between them. Far worse though, was the fact that they also got her. Both of them were lifted in pink energy spheres a dozen feet above the ground.

_NO,_ Mewtwo thought, _you only need one of us_.

The pain was overwhelming but Mewtwo was sure that Master Hand was giving the Rockets an angry lecture. His mind was more focused on the pain the devices were causing her to hear the massive boos and hisses the Rocket Grunts were receiving but he got the gist of what Master Hand said.

"Release the Mewtwos! Pokémon poaching at a Super Smash Bros. Tournament violates our non-interference policy!"

"We made the male and the technology that made the female. We're just reclaiming what's ours!"

Mewtwo sent a telepathic message to his mate that only she could hear, _How are you holding up?_

Mewtwo looked at her mate and noticed that he was barley noticing the pain in his own body because he was so focused on her.

_They scientists who made me did similar things and I survived. You're the one Giovanni almost got at Mt. Quena. How are you holding up?_

He smiled and said, _When this is over you can kiss me and make it better._

Everyone was waiting for Master Hand to draw in energy and blast the devices, while a Kritter comannder jumped on to the field.

"Let the Kremling Empire deal with these humans!"

The other Kritters in the audience released ravenous Klaptraps which ate the devices that held the Mewtwos bound between their energy beams. Master Hand stopped gathering energy and watched the Klaptraps devour the devices. When the machines were too damaged to work, the Mewtwos fell to the ground. The Kritters held the Rockets by the backs of their shirts.

At this point Ganondorf, who was in the crowd watching, shouted a command in Gerudo and his veiled female archers took out the Rocket Grunts.

Mewtwo X did not know what compelled this action from the Kremlings or the Gerudo. What he cared about at the moment was crawling to his mate who had also landed on the field. When he reached her he put his hand on her shoulder and asked in his telepathic voice, but where everyone could hear, "How are you?"

"I think I'll live, you?"

"I've been through worse."

They kissed and then let themselves collapse on the ground.

"The Rockets are dead, but the Kremlings and Gerudo who stopped them will not be going home without a reprimand!" Master Hand said. Mewtwo had heard both sides of the Gerudo-Hyrule conflict at the tournament and trusted neither Ganondorf nor Zelda and Link. The Kremlings though—Mewtwo had mainly heard about them through Donkey Kong and Bowser. Neither had anything nice to say about K. Rool, but Mewtwo had never seen Kremlings at the tournament before today.

He heard their leader say, "Our King intercepted a message from Bowser to Giovanni! They intended to force the Mewtwos to use their powers against the Kremling Empire. We are because of our loyalty to our king and his loyalty to Team Rocket's original purposes under Giovanni's mother."

Master Hand then went on a lecture about how he would have taken care of the Team Rocket problem and how Bowser and K. Rool's royal rivalry had no place at the tournament unless both were competing. Because Mewtwo was injured he was disqualified and the match went to Falco. Mewtwo did not pay attention to much that Master Hand said, but knew from Giovanni that the Madame Boss had begun the program to clone him. She had distinct goals from those of her son. Mewtwo immediately knew that he had to meet this K. Rool.

* * *

The Mewtwos were in a Pokémon center in Master Hand's interdimensional nexus. While Chanseys administered IVs Mewtwo X spoke to Mewtwo y.

"I heard the Kremlings mention _her_ again."

"Giovanni's mother?" Mewtwo X felt Mewtwo Y's anxiety, and knew she was about to lecture him.

"You yourself told me that she was responsible for sending Giovanni's mate to her death in the mountains, and that Giovanni resented the importance she placed on your creation over him and his daughter. She does not sound like a person I would want to meet."

"I know that she might be the reason my archenemy is so bitter, but he also told me that I had human DNA that came from her. I scanned his mind and knew that he was telling the truth. She is one of my genetic parents just like Mew and the other Pokémon whose genomes contributed to making me. She also had a very different view of Team Rocket's purpose than her son."

"And you think K. Rool can tell you how to meet her?"

"Maybe not how to meet her, but he could tell me something about her." X looked Y in the face.

"She ordered my creation, put her DNA in me. I don't primarily see her as Giovanni's mother. I see her as my mother, even though she's a human and I have such a hard time trusting humans." Tears were forming in his eyes. He blinked and then looked away.

"You do realize that if she's your mother, that makes Giovanni your half-brother," she said.

"No wonder we can't get along—we're related!" He'd rarely cracked jokes before, but he did so easily in his mate's presence.

She was already thinking about more practical things namely, "How do you plan to get to the Mushroom World?"

"Easy. We go home with the Kremlings that rescued us at the tournament."

* * *

The two Mewtwos stood on the purplish grey platform in the violet sky in the corner of the Nexus where Master Hand often spoke to Smashers in private. The Mewtwos had just arrived here while Master Hand was making formal charges against King K. Rool's Kritters.

Since Master hand had no eyes, it was hard to tell where he was looking, but the Mewtwos could tell that they had taken his attention away from the Kritters.

"The two of you seem to be doing much better."

"I would like to speak on behalf of these Kremlings," Mewtwo X said.

"Mewtwo, didn't you hear them? They were here to pick a fight with Bowser. If K. Rool wants to use my tournament for a battleground, he should enter the tournament himself. Saving you was incidental!"

Mewtwo stepped forward. "It is not what they said about Bowser that brings me here. It is what they said about their loyalty to Giovanni's mother and the original purposes of Team Rocket."

"And since you were created by Team Rocket, you are interested in this earlier purpose?" Master Hand said, still disagreeing with Mewtwo's judgment.

"Yes, but even more interested in Giovanni's mother. She ordered the program to clone me, and…" Mewtwo looked at his hands and ran his eyes down his arms and legs as if he could see long double helixes of DNA,"…she put her DNA in me."

"And you think K. Rool can help locate the former leader of Team Rocket?"

"Possibly, but he seems to know her. I consider her my mother even though I've never met her."

Master Hand looked at Mewtwo Y.

"He told me the same thing. We both still have scars from our creations, but my mate's are deeper than mine." She put her hand on his back. "He wants to know what his mother was like and he's already heard Giovanni's version. He wants to hear from someone who was less biased against her, like an old associate."

Mewtwo X straightened up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He had just humiliated himself in front of the Kritters and Master Hand. He said in an angry voice, "I'm going to talk to K. Rool, with your help or without it!"

Master Hand thought for a miniute, the he cracked his knuckles.

"Alright, Mewtwo. If this is what you really want I'll send the two of you and the Kriters to K. Rool's retreat on the Isle of Krematoa in the Mushroom World. But remember, in his time as _Rex Insularum_ he has attempted to destroy the Kongs through starvation and weapons of mass destruction."

"Donkey Kong has told me this," Mewtwo X said defiantly. "But did you know that I once tried to wipeout all human and non-cloned Pokémon life in the Pok émon world? I've purposely not registered my alignment with this tournament as hero but as neutral. I'm in no position to pass judgment on K. Rool, but I need his information and I will be careful not let him catch me or my love." Mewtwo X spoke all this in arrogance before saying, "And maybe I'll ask K. Rool why he tried to do what he did to the Kongs? Maybe his answer will show us to be kindred spirits."

"All right," Master Hand said. "But don't say I didn't warn you!"


	3. Chapter 3

When I hear the word" Kremling" it makes me think of the Kremlin in Russia. The name Krusha makes me think of Khrushchev (who was Ukranian). On the other hand K. Rool's DKC3 name, Baron K. Roolenstein is clearly German. Klump could fit either German or Russian phonetics. I've decided to give the Kremlings an Eastern European or specifically Transylvanian feel and base their language on Romanian, with a little Hungarian, Russian, and German thrown in.

* * *

When word reached K. Rool that the Mewtwos were here in the Mushroom World, on Krematoa, at his privately owned resort, he sent word for the Kritters to bring them to his private suite at once. K. Rool had a part to play: the part of a father who had never seen one of his sons before, one in whom he had placed great hopes, had given up as lost and had now finally met for the first time. It was crucial to K. Rool that Mewtwos believed his little act.

K. Rool stood now in the entrance to his suite. Behind him was the open door to the study. In this room were two grey couches on either side of a clear table. He had just put drops in his eyes that, while not harming his vision would cause him to cry. He practiced his posture. He stood with his eyes closed, the back of his hand covering them, facing the direction of his study.

There was a knock on K. Rool's door.

"It's open," K. Rool said in voice that mixed hope with annoyance. He wanted to sound hopeful enough for the male Mewtwo to think that he wanted to see him—but annoyed enough to persuade the male Mewtwo that he didn't want to talk to any Kremling bureaucrats.

The door opened. A psychically projected masculine voice called out, "King K. Rool?"

K. Rool turned slowly and upon seeing the male Mewtwo ran toward him, screaming "Mewtwo! My son!"

Mewtwo X was confused as to why the Kremling King had just called him his son, and as to why said Kremling was now hugging him so tightly it was uncomfortable.

"Your Majesty, you're crushing my diaphragm."

K. Rool released his grip.

"My apologies," K. Rool said and then burst out laughing, "You're finally here, my boy!" K. Rool then looked at the female Mewtwo, "While I hate that your genome was not kept secret, I'm glad that there's a woman in your life. What should I call either of you?"

"Alone, we both answer to Mewtwo. When we're together, he's X and I'm Y."

K. Rool looked at Mewtwo Y for a moment and then said, "That's right. He can mega-evolve into MegaMewtwoX, and you into MegaMewtwoY." Everything K. Rool said at that moment made him sound like an adoring fan. Now he shifted back into parental mate. "Of course, _you_ are the ones who came to ask _me_ questions."

K. Rool stepped back and gestured for them to be seated on the couch across from him. Once everyone had taken their seats, K. Rool readied himself for the speech that everything depended on.

"Kremlings have been traveling between the worlds for generations. One of our earliest objectives in the Pokémon world was the establishment of an organization to achieve our political goals in your world." K. Rool felt a glare from the Mewtwos.

"The political goals of the Kremling Empire are ones you would agree with even if you don't necessarily approve of our means. I will give you a Kremling History lesson later. Right now, you need to know of our family history."

"You are a crocodile, K. Rool," Mewtwo X said, "And I'm a cat, from a different world."

"Yes," K. Rool said and closed his eyes. "It started when I helped Francesca create Team Rocket. She didn't initiate the idea to clone you. I did." Mewtwo X stared at K. Rool. K. Rool shrugged and said, "Son, I know I haven't earned your trust yet, so I'm giving you permission to scan my mind." Mewtwo X eagerly did so.

K. Rool gasped unable to control his twitching body as Mewtwo X scanned his mind. Within moments the Pokémon knew that the initial idea to make a superclone of Mew had, indeed, originated with K. Rool. He released him.

"You speak true."

K. Rool caught his breath and said, "We enhanced Mew's DNA with genes from other Pokémon and two non-Pokémon species: Human from Francesca and Kremling from me."

The Mewtwos stared at K. Rool. X said, "You ordered me to be made and your genes are in me. So when you call me, 'Son', you mean it literally."

"You have many genetic parents, more a certain Mew than anyone else, but Francesca and I were the ones who wanted you. To provide heirs to my throne, I have a Kremling Queen and numerous lesser wives, but I don't truly _love_ any of them. Francesca was different. We _did_ have feelings for each other, even though I was a reptile and she was a mammal; a relation her brat, Giovanni, never approved of." K. Rool had already gotten Mewtwo to believe him, so he could be less than honest now. He _had_ encouraged Francesca that he cared about her romantically, and that even if his scales were unappealing, he could buy her whatever she wanted. She really was in _some_ kind of relationship with him, and Giovanni really _did_ resent the Kremling King's sway over his mother. He _had_ as a romantic gesture put both his genes and Francesca's in Mewtwo X. K. Rool did _not_ really love Francesca, but he had convinced her that he did, and he was determined to convince Mewtwo X that the Pokémon was the product of his love with her.

"True, we wanted a one Pokémon army to bring about our political ends, but we would have raised you as our child, and when you went to take over the Pokémon world for yourself and the Mushroom World for your Kremling brothers, you would understand why." K. Rool felt Mewtwo X give him a sharp look.

Giovanni had treated Mewtwo as a slave. K. Rool had to walk a fine line. He spoke not in anger, but in a saddend tone.

"X, I love you as much as my other children! Scan my mind if you don't believe me! But you have so little of my DNA… One of my Kremling children would have to come before you in the line of succession. I can promise you a _place_ in the line of succession. I ask you to scan my mind again to see if I'm lying and these tears don't convince you."

Mewtwo X used his psychic power to read K. Rools mind again. Mewtwo Y noticed K. Rool looked uncomfortable. What neither Mewtwo realized was that K. Rool had great mental discipline. His thoughts did not technically lie to X. He did love X _as much as_ his Kremling children. What K. Rool didn't reveal was that he did not love _any_ of his children very much. He could not afford to become emotionally invested in any of them. Not when the whole system of Kremling succession depended on teaching them to plot and scheme against one another. There had to emerge a clear successor and the other heirs either had to submit or die. In that regard he could actually invest _more_ sentiment in Mewtwo X.

X released K. Rool.

"You do love me quite a bit."

"I never wanted you as just a weapon, my boy, but I needed someone with your powers to complete the Kremling Empire's objectives. The plan was always to care for you and teach you your destiny but, Francesca had a stroke just after you were cloned and Giovanni took over the project."

"Do you know where my mother is?"

K. Rool stared at the floor and said, "No. Giovanni saw to her hospitalization, but I've received no word on her or from her. She may be a vegetable now and I have no way of knowing. I hate Giovanni, X." K. Rool exhaled and said, "I've been keeping track of you since New Island with a satellite in your dimension that can feed into my computers in this one. I was not sure when to establish contact. I was ready to step in at Mt. Quena, but that human boy saved you before I could muster a force."

"Ash has helped me and my mate more than once. He's the only human I consider a friend."

"And you feel that he helped save you from yourself as well?"

Mewtwo X looked shocked. How did K. Rool know what he was thinking? Judging by the look on K. Rool's face, K. Rool had expected that reaction.

"Son, you may get all your psychic traits from Mew, but to be a Kremling King, 150, and alive, you have to be skilled at reading people. There was shame written into your face when you mentioned Ash saving you."

"Do you agree that Ash saved me from myself?"

"If you mean keep you from committing genocide, then, of course, but like it or not Mewtwo, there are forces in your world that need to be destroyed. One in particular now does the opposite of what I helped make it for." K. Rool shook his head, his disgust obvious to the Mewtwos. They also knew he meant Team Rocket.

"You want me to destroy Team Rocket?" X asked.

"I want Team Rocket restored to its original mission, and I would like to know what happened to your mother. But all that can wait 'till later."

Mewtwo Y looked at K. Rool and asked, "What do you want us to do now?"

K. Rool leaned back, "I would simply like us to spend the day getting to know each other. You're free to call me, 'Your Majesty,'or, 'K. Rool,'but I'd prefer, 'Dad,' or the Kremling '_Tata._'"

From what Mewtwo X could read of K. Rool's mind he was convinced that K. Rool's parental affection was genuine, so he would reciprocate.

"Very well, _Tata_."

"So," K. Rool said, "can I expect grandchildren?"

The two Mewtwos looked at each other. The both started talking to K. Rool at once, Y saying yes, X saying not yet.

"Well when you decide, you might want to consider names. They will have a place in the Kremling line of succession, after my Kremling descendants."

X was a bit hesitant, but Y told him, "I want to have many children and they can't all be Mewtwo X or Mewtwo Y."

Mewtwo X nodded his head in defeat. "_When_ we have children, we will name them after Kremling royalty."

"Or whatever names you chose. When I first met Giovanni, he was a delightful lad. You have a rich history of Italian names to draw upon on your mother's side." Thinking of the famous Italian-American plumber from Brooklyn, K. Rool said, "Humans have quite a history of falling through portals into other worlds."

"Okay, Kremling or Italian. But I'm not ready to become a father just yet."

"I am ready to be a mother, so whenever you're ready…" Y touched X wrist.

"I don't deserve your patience." X kissed his mate.

K. Rool watched the happy couple, unsure if and when he should tell Mewtwo X that the Pokémon was not his first project in gene-splicing. While Dr. Fuji was responsible for Mewtwo's DNA from Mew being copied, Kremling scientists were responsible for the augmentations and additional DNA. They had performed the procedure before to join a Kremling sperm cell to a Sharp Claw egg cell. K. Rool decided that since this was their family history day, he may as well tell the Mewtwos.

"X, you have another sibling—besides Giovanni and my Kremling children."

"How?" X said looking at K. Rool. Y gave an equally curious stare.

"An experiment to fuse a Kremling sperm cell and a Sharp Claw egg cell. I wanted a child of mine to infiltrate Andross's command structure in the Lylat System."

Mewtwo did not know much about Andross except that Star Wolf once worked for him.

"His name is Ivar Krasjason Bluescale. Bluescale is his mother's family name. His scales are green like mine. He is more widely known as General Scales and he is my most likely successor."

* * *

AN: I don't know what language _tata _comes from. K. Rool speaks Kremling Pseudo-Romanian, not real Romanian. About Kremling spellings: c is pronounced like k except before i or e, where it is pronounced like ch. g is a hard "guh" sound except before i or e, where it is like English j. ș is pronounced like sh. ț in Kremling represents the voiceless th in "thin". j in Kremling represents the voiced th in "then." ă is pronounced like the u in "but." The vowels e and o become like the English consonants y and w before other vowels. Vowels are similar to Spanish.


	4. Chapter 4

A.N: In this story, K. Rool has a Romanian accent and Scales has a British English Accent. SharpClaw in this story is based on Icelandic.

Wolf regretted not being able to thrash Fox at this year's Super Smash Bros. Tournament, but he couldn't miss the work his new employer on Sauria was giving him. It was also the chance to negotiate between his new employer and Emperor Andrew Oikonny—soon to be Ex-emperor. His new employer had gathered most of Andross's former forces under his banner. All that remained was to dethrone Andrew.

Wolf's Wolfen II held position in the lower atmosphere, waiting for Andrew's fighter to arrive. Andrew believed he was meeting a general who wanted to pledge loyalty to him in secret. In moments Andrew's one man fighter, actually his old Wolfen II, emerged through a cloud layer. Back when Andross was alive Andrew had been a member of Star Wolf. Going up against a former team member didn't feel right. True, he'd kicked Pigma out of Star Wolf, and he'd had disagreements with Andrew, but the snow monkey had finally left voluntarily to reclaim his uncle Andross's throne. Wolf didn't want to hurt Andrew on a personal level, but business was business. He hoped to see to it that Andrew was treated well.

Wolf hailed Andrew. Andrew answered and saw Wolf on the comm unit.

"Wolf, I was hoping to see you here."

Wolf swallowed and said, "Andrew, you have to eject! I'm destroying your ship in five seconds!"

Andrew was completely clueless to the betrayal that had just taken place. "Wolf, I don't understand!"

Wolf had his weapons locked. He had to begin the countdown , no matter how much he hated it.

"Four, three, two…"

Andrew ejected. He released the cord to his parachute as Wolf blew his Wolfen II to pieces.

"You are a traitor, Wolf O'Donnell!"

Wolf could not hear Andrew cursing him but had a good idea of just how disappointed his old team mate would be when noticed where he was landing. Troops from various Venomese factions had gathered at nearby abandoned EarthWalker temple. Wolf's main priority was landing and trying to convince his new employer to go easy on Andrew.

Wolf brought his Wolfen down. He emerged from the cockpit and jumped to the ground in time to hear his new employer speak at the top of the steps leading to the abandoned temple.

"Finally! Andross's nephew is at my mercy!" General Scales began his descent to meet Andrew in person.

Wolf had to hurry to position himself between his new boss and his old boss's nephew. Andrew was already making things worse for himself.

"Anyone who touches me will spend the rest of his days in a Venomese prison!" Andrew then looked at the imposing SharpClaw walking toward him. "General Scales, you look remarkably healthy, for someone who is supposed to be dead."

An alligator sergeant ran up to Andrew and bowed before him. "The Emperor's nephew! Andrew is here!"

"Caiman, it is good that there is some loyalty here."

Scales watched what followed with disgust.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I'm highly honored," Caiman said. Scales ran the two hooks where his left hand had once been into Caiman's back and out through his chest. Everyone watched in horror.

Scales then mockingly bowed to Andrew and said, "'Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm highly honored.'" He then picked Andrew up by the neck with his right hand. Holding Andrew, he said, "What now should I do with this worthless vermin?"

Wolf ventured forward and said, "Excellency, you have shown Andrew to be powerless in front of most of his former Generals. Why not show them that you can also be merciful?"

Scales stared at Wolf for a moment as he analyzed what his mercenary had just said. Finally, he smiled and laughed. "There is a SharpClaw proverb that while it is better to be feared than loved, it is better still to be both." He looked at Andrew again and spoke loudly so all could hear him.

"I can kill you now and end it all, but I'm prepared to show mercy, if you will submit."

"I wanna live, but I can't betray my uncle," Andrew said.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you are doing just that by remaining in command?" Scales had just displayed before all the generals his intimidating physical strength. Now he was going to display his equally intimidating intellect.

"Andross scientific work on Corneria was all geared toward preventing a war between Corneria and Macbeth. After he was exiled to Venom he came to understand that no perfect weapon could bring peace to the Lylat System. Only the unbreakable will of a strong individual leader could force peace upon the system. Look at all these generals, Andrew. Have you been able to keep them in line with your own strong unbreakable will?"

Scales turned slowly letting Andrew look into the eyes of the generals who'd switched their allegiance to Scales. They had all seen Andrew as a childlike leader with no coherent plan, clinging on to the memory of his uncle but not contributing any meaningful strategy on his own.

"I, on the other hand, was genetically engineered to be a warlord and statesman."

That was news to Wolf. Abnormally strong, yes. An unbeaten chess player, yes. A full torso taller than most SharpClaw, yes. But Andross was the only being in the Lylat system who could have done such genetic manipulation.

Adressing the generals, Scales said, "I'm allowing each of you to take blood samples from me and compare them with my SharpClaw followers."

As if on cue when Scales said, "SharpClaw followers," armored allosaurs jumped out of the lower windows of the abandoned temple.

Scales dropped Andrew flat on his backside and said, "Take the blood samples now, stay in Saurian orbit and return in a week. If I'm worth taking a risk on in your eyes meet me at this exact spot. Andrew Oikonny will remain my guest until then. I will give him a second chance to choose between submission or death, but he is never leaving Sauria a free monkey again."

A yellow-scaled SharpClaw with a basin of alcohol approached and Scales washed the pieces of Caiman off his hooks. He then proceeded to let medical officers take blood samples from him and his army. Wolf knew that this was just procedure. The generals had been won over by the sight of Scales amidst the other SharpClaw. Even Wolf had to admit there was something different about Ivar Bluescale.

* * *

Wolf and his team mates Leon and Panther had followed Scales back to his homeland, the Isle of Høyen off the coast of the Moon Mountain region. They were in the heart of SharpClaw territory. When they landed in the hangar bay cut into the same mountain as Scales's castle they got out of their Wolfens.

Leon Powalski, Wolf's chameleon best friend, Star Wolf's interrogator, assassin, and medic, was the first to break the silence.

"There is something frightening about the SharpClaw." For something to rattle Leon's nerves, it had to be troubling indeed.

"That being?" Wolf said, looking around the hangar bay.

"Prior to their affiliation with Venom, they were—and still are—the most aggressive tribe on Sauria. They believe that you must meet a death in battle or your soul will be dishonored forever. I don't know if they still do this or not, but forty years ago they did sentient sacrifices. All of the SharpClaw's most famous cultural heroes were known for killing EarthWalker and CloudRunner women and children. Thorfinr Skull-Spliter, Erikr Bloodaxe. These are not nice guys." Leon closed his eyes and winced.

"This from Leon 'The Torturer' Powalski?" Panther asked as he sniffed his trademark rose.

"I have a skill set that I sell to governments that need it. What the SharpClaw do, they do out of primitive religious beliefs. They only thing that makes me feel safe about staying here is that the SharpClaw fear Scales and he needs us right now."

"I imagine he'll want to move to Andross's old palace on Venom by the week's end," Wolf referenced Scales's recent show for the generals.

"Curious, though," Leon said as they started to leave the hangar bay and walk up the labyrinth of corridors to the throne room, "That Andross would choose to genetically enhance a SharpClaw."

Andross considered himself a progressive, Wolf knew. Maybe Scales was his attempt to elevate the SharpClaw above their superstitious blood-drenched ways. Scales was the most intelligent SharpClaw Wolf knew and was one of the most intelligent individuals Wolf knew excluding Andross himself. But all this talk about the SharpClaw made Wolf note one crucial difference between Scales and Andross. While Andross had no qualms about sending scores of young Venomese off on campaigns from which few would return, he had never killed a subordinate in cold blood, at least not that Wolf had known about. They way Scales had just slaughtered Caiman earlier that day was the most brutal use of sheer terror as a weapon that Wolf had ever seen.

* * *

A week had passed. All the major generals swore oaths of loyalty to Scales as the rightful heir to Andross's empire. He would spend much of the next few weeks reorganizing command centers on Venom, but that was not why he called Wolf into his "office" in the old EarthWalker Temple. Scales was looking at something obscure in the distance but turned when he heard Wolf enter.

"O'Donnell," he said. "I've just received word from my father. He requests my presence on Mushroom Planet."

Wolf was surprised to hear this. "What is your father doing on Mushroom Planet?"

Scales tensed. He was going to have to let this out sometime. He walked backed to a chair he'd had installed in the room and sat. "My father is a monarch on Mushroom Planet who established contact with Andross years ago while he was still only the heir to the throne. He belongs to a crocodilian species called 'Kremling.' Gene-splicing allowed his sperm cell to fertilize my mother's SharpClaw egg cell."

"Kremling?" Wolf recognized the name from the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. They were a faction that received many negative comments from Donkey Kong, Diddy, and Bowser.

"Is your father King K. Rool, sir?" Wolf stood hunched over the seated Scales.

"K. Rool is a nickname. His full name is Crășa Rulenstain Draculeștior. You may have heard my patronymic before today, but you did not understand it: Ivar Krasjason. He wants me to coordinate our strategy with a psychic feline Pokémon who also has some DNA extracted from my father's genome." There was a look in Scales's eyes that told Wolf he had best keep quiet for now.

"Mewtwo?"

"Your time at the Super Smash Bros. Tournaments has served you well, Mr. O'Donnell. I suspect that research Andross generated was behind Mewtwo's creation, though I do not believe Andross himself knew much about the Pokémon World." Scales closed his eyes. "It is not so much Mewtwo that worries me as my father. He expects me to bring all of Andross's forces under Kremling command. What he doesn't realize is that the first thing I want to do is…ah!" Scales jumped, startling Wolf.

"I will do exactly what my father wants, because by conquering Mushroom Planet I will then have at my disposal the manpower to defeat Corneria. And it will not hurt to have an ally controlling the Pokémon World. The trick is making my father's death appear natural."

That caught Wolf entirely by surprise. "Sir, are we discussing assassination?"

Scales turned his hand in a semi-circle as if to say, "But of course."

"My father wants to use me as his pawn; I want to use his ambitions to further my ability to make war. We are both for uniting the Kremlings and SharpClaw and conquering the Koopas. He simply thinks he should lead the movement; I think I should. One of us clearly has to go."


	5. Chapter 5

Mewtwo Y felt another presence in the room with her and her mate. Generally, they preferred hammocks to beds, but lately something in the air of Krematoa had compelled them to mate regularly, and a bed provided more room for two than a hammock. And they could hardly refuse when K. Rool had ordered a Kremling Baron to give his room to them.

A more pressing issue was this third presence she felt. She could tell it was a Mewtwo and she could tell it was inside her. Her mate lay sleeping beside her, his arm on her shoulder. The sun had already risen. They were normally early risers, but they had spent last night as they had spent most nights on Krematoa. This child in her belly was the result of some of their late activities some three weeks ago, based on the strength of the psychic presence. No Mewtwo had ever been pregnant before, so there was no way to be sure of how her body would respond to motherhood. Nor would there be any way of knowing how long the pregnancy would last.

"X," she projected into her mate's head.

"Five more minutes," was the most coherent response he projected.

"I'm pregnant!" she said. That had the desired effect.

Mewtwo X forced his eyes open and stared at his mate. He had not planned on this in his wildest dreams. Both of their hormones had been raging since they came to Krematoa, to the point that they couldn't think straight at times. He knew that they had to get out of that island's environment, but not out of association with his "_Tata._" K, Rool had told him a story of the Kremling's past that the archeology backed up. It was a society that X felt a certainly loyalty towards, though he was still unsure how far he'd go to support it.

Y thought the society that K. Rool described was idyllic as well, but she had her suspicions too. K. Rool, by his own admission, regularly corresponded with Giovanni even if it was for the purpose of trying to admonish him and learn about Francesca. There was something about K. Rool that Y couldn't quite bring herself to trust. Usually she was more trusting than her mate, but not here.

"We need to get off this island, so our hormones can calm down. Still, I'd prefer if you gave birth in Kremling territory, where we're safe from Team Rocket and Team Plasma."

"It's not so much the humans that worry me right now," Y said. "Do you really want our baby to be a baron or baroness of the Kremling Empire?"

"We've been laboratory experiments; I've been a supervillain and a protector of nature. I actually think that being born into a family of leaders that care about nature is the best heritage we could give our child. Now if you will excuse me there is something I want to do." X silently sent images into Y's mind. They both got off the bed and he put his hand on her belly, sensing the presence of his mate and child at once.

* * *

There were dozens of Venomese spacecraft in orbit of Mushroom Planet. The generals were all relaxing at some part of K. Rool's resort or another. The fifteen most important were seated at a private table in a room with red carpet, red walls, a red ceiling , and a clear window on the jungle. Mewtwo X had been summoned by K. Rool to attend this meeting. All eyes were on the psychic Pokémon. He recognized the standing Wolf O'Donnell.

"Mewtwo, these beings are at your mercy. I did not summon you to preform tricks, rest assured," K. Rool took a sip of his beverage.

"Why am I here then, _Tata_?"

"Because I need someone to project the image of what they are fighting for into their minds. They are the agents of our cause in the Lylat System." K. Rool nodded to his left and said, "Might I introduce your brother, my son, Ivar Krasjason Bluescale, Emperor of Venom." X locked his eyes on Scales' and tried to read his mind.

Scales was friendly and genuinely curios about his genetic relationship to X. Scales saw him as a potential rival but not an inferior being.

_In the eyes of many, we are both freaks._

X decided that it was time to oblige K. Rool and projected his interpretation of Ancient Kremling Civilization into the generals' minds: a civilization that lived in harmony with nature and produced scores of doctors, poets, and philosophers.

When X had finished, K. Rool began speaking, "The images and ideas that Mewtwo has psychically projected into your minds, are what we are fighting to restore. I knew Andross personally and considered him a friend, this was what he wanted for the Lylat System. Mewtwo here was originally going to be essential in bringing that vision to the Pokémon world. The same technology, which Andross gave me, that enabled me to father your emperor, led to Mewtwo's creation. It is my wish that you coordinate your conquest of the Lylat Sytem with the reconquest of Team Rocket in the Pokémon world."

X froze solid. K. Rool wanted him to replace Giovanni as Team Rocket's leader? That Giovanni needed to be replaced was obvious. That Team Rocket had the resources to be a force for good was also obvious. But K. Rool couldn't expect Mewtwo X to lead a revolution with a baby on the way.

Mewtwo X used his psychic powers to freeze all the Venomese generals, Scales, K. Rool, and Wolf in place. He sensed fear from everyone present. Good.

"I will speak to King K, Rool, Emperor Scales, and Wolf O'Donnell in private." Mewtwo X demanded. He then released his hold on everyone, who immediately gasped for breath.

There was no denying who was in charge of this meeting. Mewtwo X thought he knew K. Rool well enough, and he could identify with Scales, but the generals reminded him too much of Giovanni.

"Might I make one request?" Scales asked.

"Allright," Mewtwo X said, eager to get out of the generals' presence.

"I'd like to bring Andrew Oikonny with me."

* * *

Wolf O'Donnell noted the confined space they were in. The door to the main suite closed, and blocked by Mewtwo X. The couch on one side of the clear table occupied by K. Rool who held a chain that ended in a collar around Andrew's neck. Andrew sat on the floor. Scales reclined on the couch opposite K. Rool. Wolf stood with his back to the door into the room.

"My mate is pregnant! I can't lead an uprising against Giovanni at this time!"

Wolf had seen Mewtwo Y at the tournaments so he knew that Mewtwo had a mate. The only real surprises for him were the threads linking Andross, K. Rool, and Team Rocket.

"X," K. Rool said, "First, let me congratulate you on becoming a father. The safety of my grandchildren is of paramount importance to me. I would never ask you to do anything that would put your child in danger or leave it fatherless." K. Rool stopped and let his words sink into Mewtwo X's mind. "That's why I want you to coordinate Team Rocket's destruction with your brother," K. Rool pointed to Scales. "He was genetically engineered to be a tactical genius."

"Some genius! He couldn't see how my uncle was using him in the end!" Andrew said and K. Rool yanked his chain, causing him to shriek.

"Everyone thought Andross was dead then. I am not so foolish as to think I'm infallible," Scales said.

"Who is Andross?" Mewtwo X asked.

_Great,_ Wolf thought, _Welcome to Lylat History 101_.

"He was in many ways to me what Giovanni should have been to you," Scales answered. "He was a visionary snow monkey who became deemed a threat to Cornerian society, and after a certain period of years being surrounded by yes-men, he became a paranoid recluse. Star Fox eventually got rid of him. His last scheme depended on me and the entire Lylat System thinking he was dead."

"He was crazy and he still got you to do what he wanted! What does that say about you?" Andrew said to Scales.

"I said Andross was paranoid, not stupid. Your uncle was the greatest scientific genius the Lylat system has ever seen. I assure you, had I known he was alive things would have turned out quite differently!" Scales turned his intimidating gaze from Andrew to Mewtwo X. "This is why we must make sure that Giovanni is dead!"

Mewtwo X weighed his options. He hated killing in principle, but he was not against executions per se. Giovanni was a threat to the Pokémon World, and Team Rocket's resources could do good in the right hands. But he had to be sure.

"_Tata_, can you make sure that my baby and mate are safe?"

"Certainly, my boy. I can assure you that if you gain control of Team Rocket, you will be fulfilling part of the purpose for why you were made."

Mewtwo X remembered the time he had held Jessie hostage, and emotionally broken Giovanni in front of him as revenge for what Giovanni had done to the clones on Mt. Quena. He had read his human brother's mind and knew that the Madame Boss had wanted him, Mewtwo, to lead Team Rocket. He had learned the same from K. Rool.

K. Rool looked to him and said, "It is your destiny. Pokémon can never be safe while Giovanni lives."

"I shall have to clear this with my mate, but, if she does consent, I will do my part to bring your dream to life."

K. Rool picked up a navy blue orb that somewhat resembled a Pokéball. He stood. "This device will enable you to travel and communicate between worlds. I have one, so does Scales. Keep in communication with us and strike Giovanni where he is weakest." K. Rool then looked Mewtwo X. "At the tournament you list your alignment as neutral. I'm offering you the chance to be a hero in the long run, though it will require you to temporarily be a villain."

K. Rool brought his gaze to the other figure blocking a door. "The same goes for you, O'Donnell."

Wolf tensed, unsure of what K. Rool was going to ask him.

"You're also neutral, a gun for sail to the highest bidder. I have a mission for Star Wolf in a land called Hyrule. It's very dangerous, but if you're successful, money should never be a problem again."

Wolf recognized that name from the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. "As you said, that's very dangerous."

"You will be working for me, not Scales," K. Rool said before standing. Then he looked at everyone in the room excluding Oikonny, and said, "Gentlemen, history will remember as heroes for the dream that we will bring to fruition. Let us not deceive ourselves however, for our actions will make us villains."

* * *

That night X held Y tightly in bed. Instead of talking about his decision, they linked minds. His thoughts flowed into hers and hers into his.

Our destiny has arrived.

Your destiny alone. K. Rool did not make me.

Your destiny is to be the mother of our species. The destiny of our species is to bring the enlightenment of the Ancient Kremlings to the Pokémon world. That's why K. Rool and the Madame Boss made me, the first Mewtwo.

Dear, you sound like you did at New Island. I think you have—

-No, I don't have a messiah complex.

-A messiah complex by proxy. The way you regard K. Rool—

-He is the first being to want a Mewtwo to exist. I, and the technology that made you, both came from him.

What about Andross?

That deranged monkey may have made the technology, but it was K. Rool's idea. I have been searching for the purpose of my life ever since I was created. Giovanni said it was to serve him. I could not serve a being who told me we were equals and then betrayed me but—

-You're not serving K. Rool, you're serving his vision, and that vision—

-Is now mine as much as it is K. Rool's.

I understand how much this means to you. Go with my love, and come back to me and your son.

She's a girl and when I return she'll be a princess.


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter is split into two halves. The first is before chapter seven; the second is after. Bowser is not aware that Scales is K. Rool's son.

Bowser was in his bunker beneath deep beneath his castle. For the last day and a half, Venomese space craft had been pounding away at his armed forces. Most civilian homes had been spared the attack. The Venomese wanted Koopa soldiers in their ranks. Bowser's castle though was in shambles. All of towers not part of the central building had been blown off. And it wasn't just the Venomese attacking from the air—Kremling and SharpClaw forces were overrunning the Koopa Troopas and Goombas on the ground. The Shy Guys, who were only hired mercenaries, knew which way the winds were blowing. Realizing it was only a matter of time before Venom won, they sold out to the Kremlings.

Bowser looked around his current room. His eight children: Ludwig, Bowser Morton Jr, Roy, Wendy, Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, and Bowser Kooper—known as "Baby Bowser"—were all inside. So was Bowser's advisor Kammy Koopa. The stone tiles that made up so much of Bowser's castle were absent down here. Walls of solid Koopanium covered by steel, which were in turn covered by concrete, gave the bunker a more solid and more modern feel. It was still all grey however. Bowser saw that each of his children had sleeping bags and that there were enough rations to withstand a three month siege.

"Just try to let these Lylat invaders blow their way in here. They'd need an atom bomb!" Bowser said proudly. The Koopa Kingdom had suffered worse when Smithy took over Bowser's castle. Yet Bowser was back, stronger than ever. So far the Venomese had not even done that.

"They may not need to blow us out if they can starve us out," the diminutive Kammy Koopa said.

"Already ahead of you on that one," Bowser said and he opened the door and walked down the grey angular corridor that included all the rooms on the deepest level of the bunker. He continued talking as he walked. "I've made sure that if anyone wants to starve us out, they'll be in for a long wait."

They stopped in front of the door that led to the storage room. Bowser opened it. The room was filled cupboards and refrigerators.

"Enough food in there to help us withstand the siege for three months."

"Sire, how many of us can this support?" Kammy Koopa looked skeptical that the supplies in this room could sustain the inhabitants of Bowser's castle for three months.

"Naturally, we're going to have to let some of our staff go," Bowser shrugged, finally admitting.

"How many?" Kammy said increasingly nervous.

"About everyone except fifty Terrorpins, my kids, you, and me."

Kammy slapped her forehead. Bowser was keeping his best trained troops, but forcing everyone else out of the castle was suicide. Many of the soldiers would defect to Venom. Most of the news that they had been gathering had reported that Koopa and Goomba families surrendering to the SharpClaw and Kremlings were allowed to keep their property and live with all the rights and privileges that they had enjoyed under Bowser. Those who resisted were systematically killed, their houses turned into headquarters for the invaders, and their material wealth carried off as plunder by the SharpClaw. There were doubtless loyal subjects who would not betray their king for any reason, but when the people of the countryside were seeing the consequences in their day to day lives, they were finding that Emperor Scales could grant life or death and that Bowser lacked the ability to grant either.

"You do realize that the Venomese Emperor is creating a mood of compliance if not outright collaboration among your subjects."

"They won't stay away from Lylat that long." Bowser patted the wall beside him. "In these walls we'll outlast them. And without Venom to back them up, the Kremlings will go too."

"Prehaps Your Majesty has not heard what Scales has been saying," Kammy said.

Bowser looked confused. The reach of their intelligence into Venomese-controlled territory grew shorter as said territory grew larger.

"Scales has been broadcasting this message on Koopa frequencies: 'Join the Venomese Army and seek your fortune and glory on Corneria. We will provide your transport there and back. Be the first inhabitants of Mushroom Planet to win glory in Lylat!'" Bowser's face grew increasingly grim as he listened to Kammy.

"Why wasn't I told this earlier?" Bowser shouted. If he had known Scales was after soldiers, he could've reached the same deal with him that K. Rool apparently had.

"Why didn't we try negotiating with Scales?" Bowser shouted at the top of his lungs.

"We never had the opportunity to negotiate. The Venomese have bombing our military installations, and the Kremlings have been enforcing their surrender or die policy, since the invasion began. It's likely that K. Rool sold out to Scales in exchange for dethroning you," Kammy said.

Bowser stopped listening when Kammy said that K. Rool had sold out. That was not the Kremling King he knew. He knew that his rival was the most informed villain on the other worlds. Bowser had fought Ganondorf in the Tournament but all his attempts to form an alliance with the Gerudo leader had been thwarted by the latter's prior commitments to K. Rool. He had attempted to contact Andross in the past but that meeting had ended with Andross calling him a "mentally-challenged turtle, interested only in conquest."

Bowser's one ally was to be found in the Pokémon world: the Team Rocket Leader, Giovanni. Apparently K. Rool had ruined the lives of Giovanni, his girlfriend, and his mother. K. Rool was a master chess player, and made alliances with similarly minded villains, and made enemies out of the more reactive—emotion-governed in his mind—villains. So why was K. Rool throwing his full weight behind this Scales character now? Bowser knew nothing about his enemy, but K. Rool had likely shared everything he knew about Bowser with Scales.

* * *

Three months had passed. Bowser watched as his children ate the last of the rations. Scales had still not lifted the siege. Bowser now had no option. He had to surrender. He looked at Kammy Koopa and said to her, "Bring me Terrorpin TR39."

Kammy curtsied and left the room as Bowser slumped on the couch and stared at his children, thinking. Scales had landed troops in the villages nearest Bowser's castle and those villages were now completely in Venomese control. Koopa society in the homeland was mainly agrarian: families sowed the volcanic soil, while the young males joined Bowser's army, previously the largest in the Mushroom World. These Koopas were the ones fighting to protect their homes. But Bowser's army had always been heavily dependent on mercenaries, paid off by the rare gemstones that the volcanoes of the homeland produced. The largest part of the planet's Koopa population lived in The Mushroom Kingdom, Rogueport, and other areas in the Koopa diaspora. Those in the Mushroom Kingdom were mainly loyal to Princess Peach and would not fight for Bowser anyway. Those from other areas would fight for money. Inorganic Chomps, Thowmps, and Bullet Bills were the heavy hitters in Bowser's army, actually native to the Koopa homeland. While they could repulse Kremlings easily enough, the laser fire from the Venomese severely weakened them, a feeling they were not used to. Their casualties were high and they were usually the last to surrender. Yet, surrender they did. There were many of them still in the single standing central tower of the castle. Bowser hoped to get them to form a wall around his children tomorrow.

By now the Terrorpin Bowser requested had reached the room and was knocking on the door. Bowser got up, opened the door and stared at the Terrorpin he had summoned.

"Sid, I want you to go up to the top of the castle and raise a white flag. Can you do that?"

Sid nodded.

"Good. Go do it."

Bowser saw that Kammy was approaching so he left the door open as Sid ran down the hall. When Kammy reached Bowser she curtsied and he motioned for her to enter the room. Then he shut the door behind them.

"What does Your Majesty hope to accomplish with this Terrorpin?"

"Send a message to Scales. I'm willing to negotiate surrender." Bowser took his seat back on the couch. At the word surrender, all of his children looked at him.

The kids weren't stupid. They'd known about this day coming for almost as long as they were in the bunker. The eldest who were now legal adults had known before they entered the bunker.

"This is it, then. K. Rool's won," Ludwig said despondently.

"Don't be absurd, Ludwig! Scales knows that K. Rool wants us dead, which should make it worth his while to keep us alive in the Lylat System."

"'You're taking a big gamble, Dad," Ludwig said.

"I think turning ourselves in to Scales at this point, when the war is essentially over and all our land under Venomese control is actually our safest bet."

* * *

Bowser kept going over his words to his eldest son in his head as he stood before Scales. The Emperor's personal warship had been hovering directly over Bowser's Castle days at a time over the past three months. Bowser had been shown into Scales's private command chamber by two SharpClaw guards. Everything in the room was solid black except for the windows, and the massive steel chair that was now facing away from Bowser. When the doors to the chamber slid shut, Scales, without turning, asked Bowser, "Why are you here?"

Bowser was slightly dumbfounded at that remark.

"I thought it should be obvious: to safeguard myself and my children now that the Koopa Kingdom is in your undisputed control, august one."

Scales listened as Bowser told him things he already knew, still not turning.

"So this is Mario's famed arch-nemesis, concerned about the fate of his children? Now that you're kingdom is mine, there will be nothing left for them to inherit. Why care what happens to them at this stage?" Of course, Scales knew that if he was overthrown before he was cloned and his brainwaves copied into his clone's brain, Bowser's children might yet have a chance to regain what was rightfully theirs. Still he did not want that idea floating around in Bowser's head.

"I just want to know that their safe. That means more to me than what they can inherit!"

Either Bowser was a very good actor, which Scales doubted, or he genuinely cared about his children. If that was so, it was best that they be kept under Scales's custody. He would always have a tool to taunt Bowser with, and eight heirs to the Koopa throne to mentally reshape and mold as he saw fit.

"Not all parents care for their children in such a way. My father certainly does not. I suppose I should use the term "father" loosely as I'm something of a genetic experiment." Scales finally rotated his chair one hundred and eighty degrees so that he and Bowser could look each other in the eyes. Bowser noticed the hooks on Scales's missing hand.

"War wound," Scales said. He then looked at Bowser and said, "I will be taking your children to Venom, from whence you will be sent regular video feeds on them. However, you must remember that they are my hostages. Serve me well and you can expect to them again as leaders of the Koopa state under Venom. Betray me and I will kill them," Scales said. And he began bending his fingers and said, "One by one." He only had three fingers to bend but the principle had been established. He was already wondering what to do about Ludwig, Morton, and Roy. They were already adults and unlikely to be conducive to mental remolding, but Scales loved a challenge. His immediate attention was needed back on Krematoa as soon as possible. Mewtwo had captured Giovanni, but the things he learned in the process threatened to dash all K. Rool's—and thereby Scales's—plans.


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is kind of the turning point of the story. This chapter also references my previous fic "Memoires of a Psychic Pokéclone." I think that Team Rocket will see both Mewtwos again before the Pokémon animé is over but as what shape that will take is unclear. I'm writing this as if it's their first encounter with X since Mt. Quena.

* * *

Mewtwo X had entered the Pokémon world just outside Pallet Town. He knew from the Super Smash Bros. Tournament that Ash would be visiting his home town at this time, and his quarry would be following Ash. He had learned years ago that Jessie was Giovanni's daughter. Jessie's mother had gone missing in a mountain chain looking for a Mew to capture with the intent to make a super clone. The Madam Boss had given those orders—orders that X now knew originated with K. Rool. Giovanni blamed X for the loss of Miyamoto. X had erased the minds of both Jessie and Giovanni at that encounter. The last that Jessie remembered of him was their encounter at Mt. Quena. Giovanni's memories of X had been erased twice, but as he had said at their last encounter, he still knew of X's existence from Team Rocket records.

X was now flying over Route I between Pallet Town and Veridian City. He remembered the distinct impressions of Jessie's brainwaves from the time he held her hostage. He knew what he was looking for. X focused on Jessie's brainwaves in his memory and felt that they were once again within his senses. He flew in the direction from whence the patterns seemed to be coming. They grew stronger and stronger until X could finally see the Team Rocket trio in the woods. They were discussing plans to steal Ash's Pikachu. Needless to say they were shocked to see a Mewtwo land in their presence.

Meowth's mouth hung open. James fell on his backside. Sheer terror kept Jessie from moving except for rapid nervous twitching.

"Greetings, Team Rocket. It has been awhile."

"Hey, you're the Mewtwo from Mt. Quena!" Meowth said.

"Well, there are only two of us in the world."

"Yes, how is she?" Jessie asked.

"She's quite well," Mewtwo responded.

"'She' who?" James asked.

"The female Mewtwo," Jessie and X said simultaneously.

"I'm here today, because my mate, and I, and possibly the whole future of my species need your help." X began.

A brilliant idea just struck Jessie. Quickly she said, "Can I discuss this with my teammates?"

X gestured a wordless, "Proceed," with his hand.

Jessie, James, and Meowth formed a circle and discussed their plans. X scanned their minds, so he knew what they were saying.

"If we help the Mewtwos, they'll owe Team Rocket."

"I'm not sure, Jess. The Boss and the Mewtwo from Mt. Quena aren't exactly on the best terms," James said.

"Well this Mewtwo erased the Boss's memory. This could be a new beginning if we help him," Meowth said.

Jessie considered what both James and Meowth said before finally saying, "Alright. This Mewtwo still remembers his bad experience with the Boss, but we still might be able to get him to owe the three of us. I say we go ahead with what he's asking."

Team Rocket broke up the circle and Jessie addressed Mewtwo. "We'd be happy to help."

"Good, I need the three of you to pretend to be my hostages while I negotiate with your leader."

The trio's mouths flew open. How seriously could they take the word "pretend"?

"As added incentive, Jessie will find out more about her birth parents," X said.

Jessie paused for a minute, "How do _you_ know about my birth parents?"

"I'm a genetic experiment. Both of your parents were involved in my creation; your father especially." Jessie stared at X. He looked back. "I actually have human DNA from your grandmother, so you can think of me as your uncle."

Jessie almost choked. "But you're a Pokémon and I'm a human!"

"I have very unusual DNA," X said and he starred into Jessie's eyes, "And I promise you, I will not hurt family that has not hurt me." He sent mental assurances into Jessie's head.

"Now tell me where your Boss is," Mewtwo X said.

"He's at the rebuilt Team Rocket HQ outside of Veridian City," Meowth said.

"Then let us go there, shall we?" X formed a blue sphere of psychic energy encompassing himself and the three Team Rocket Agents. They took to the sky and flew to the northwest of Veridian City. Flying at supersonic speed they got there in five minutes. X caught a glimpse of the rebuilt Veridian Gym where he'd once fought for Giovanni. That brought his thoughts back to the present. Giovanni would know who he was and that he erased his memory and destroyed Team Rocket property, but Giovanni would not remember _him_.

He slowed as he left Veridian city behind him. He saw two towers rising from a common first floor complex. It was not especially large and the only reason he knew to look here was that this was the site of the Team Rocket headquarters he had destroyed years before.

They landed in front of the building. X let the sphere dissipate.

"James, Meowth, take this message to Giovanni. 'I am holding your daughter hostage'"—X registered the shock from Jessie—"'and if you want her unharmed you must meet me out here in five minutes.' Now, go!" James and Meowth ran into the building.

Mewtwo immediately spoke to Jessie's mind and said, "I will not actually hurt you, but I need him to think I will. _He_ is your father."

"How do you know that?" Jessie said.

"I once used my psychic influence to control an aristocrat and bribe the information out of a corrupt Team Rocket official. I was looking for your father's weaknesses after he had just attacked my clones."

Jessie still didn't believe the Boss could be her father, but if Mewtwo did know this for sure…

"What can you tell me about my mother?"

X closed his eyes and nodded. "She was a Team Rocket agent during the reign of Giovanni's mother. She was lost in the mountains looking for a Mew to bring back and clone. Giovanni put you in a foster home to protect you from your grandmother. Since I was to be the outcome of the Mew if they had brought it back, your father blames me for your mother's death."

Jessie tried to mentally digest what Mewtwo had told her. "How come the Boss never told me I was his daughter after I joined Team Rocket."

"He was likely still trying to protect you."

"From who?" Jessie could not think of a single individual in the Pokémon World with more influence than her Boss.

_From K. Rool_, X thought but did not say.

In a few moments Giovanni emerged from the building with James and Meowth behind him.

"You," he said to X.

"Me," X replied.

"Let her go!" Giovanni commanded.

"I would be happy to, but first I want something from you."

Giovanni swallowed and demanded simply, "What?!"

"That you take her place as my hostage!"

Giovanni scoffed, "I have a criminal empire to run."

"And your daughter"—X psychically lifted Jessie off the ground—"has a life to live!"

Giovanni looked at Jessie, then turned his head away, "It's always that with you and your makers! I can't have my family and my empire!"

"The fact that you haven't had your daughter all this time is your own fault, Giovanni, not mine. I had not even been cloned yet when she lost her mother!"

"It was your new boss's fault. K. Rool alerted me to you and your mate's presence at the Smash Bros. Tournament. Then he proceeded to send his Kritters to rescue you. He forced me to send Jessie away to protect her. Because of him I lost Miyamoto. I even think he poisoned my mother!"

At that, X dropped Jessie and seized Giovanni drawing the Team Rocket leader toward himself with his psychic powers. He also got to work stimulating the pain centers of Giovanni's brain.

"That's a lie! My parents loved each other! A subject you know nothing about!"

Giovanni was a man of great fortitude fighting through the pain to say, "He kept sending her spices from Crocodile Isle in larger doses until he stopped sending them and she had a stroke!" Giovanni was shouting at X by the end.

"That doesn't make sense! He wanted me to head Team Rocket, so why remove my mother…"—then X saw a sickening possibility—"He knew what would happen to me under your abuse. He wanted New Island to happen."

X waved his hand and uncloaked the inter-world teleporter, no larger than a Pokeball. He stopped his assault on Giovanni's brain and said, "We have business on Krematoa, you and I."

* * *

K. Rool sat on a chair at his desk in his suite's bedroom. sipping tea. X projected his voice across two rooms, saying, "I'm here with Giovani, _Tata_, and we have business to discuss."

K. Rool got up, eager to see X's handiwork. He walked through the entry room, opened the door and saw X with Giovanni behind him. The latter's body was obeying the former's psychic commands.

X sat down on the couch and snapped, "Giovanni, sit on the floor in front of me."

Giovanni, knowing resistance would be futile complied.

X then turned his glance to K. Rool. "_Tata_, please." K. Rool sat on the opposite couch.

"My human brother has been telling me interesting things, _Tata._ I can accept that you loved my mother no more than Scales's mother or your Kremling wives. I can even accept that I was at one point no more than a tool in your mind, but one thing I cannot accept—that I did not go too far on New Island! So I must know, were you counting on it.

K. Rool swallowed and let out a sigh. "Would you prefer a lie to make you feel better, the brutal truth, or my reasons behind what I did?"

"The truth _and_ your reasons behind it." X stared at K. Rool using his psychic powers to pry into K. Rools mind to see if he were telling the truth.

"I did intend for you to destroy humanity in your world from New Island." Truthful so far. "I believed the other legendaries capable of protecting Pokémon life, and had not expected you to try to destroy them as well." Again K. Rool spoke truthfully.

"Why did it matter to you what happened to humans in the Pokémon world?"

"Because from my end, dear boy, the Kremlings have too many people and too little and as a result of all the sunken Islands in our history. Secondly, my boy, from your end, Pokémon are not like the non-sentient animals of certain worlds that can be ethically eaten , or like my pet Klaptrap that cannot reason like a Kremling. Pokémon can reason like humans, which in my eyes makes capturing and forcing them to fight barbaric. Kremlings needed the land, and the humans were abusing fellow sentient species there." Again, K. Rool spoke truthfully.

What K. Rool had not told X was that he cared nothing about Pokémon either. He did care about restoring the Ancient Kremling culture of Kaos Kore, but only after establishing total Kremling hegemony over the different worlds. He brought the more pleasant images to the forefront of his mind.

X read the images K. Rool transmitted. "You truly did think it would be worth it," X said, "But you are wrong about humans. I would not be here if it was not for Ash."

K. Rool shrugged. "I make mistakes. The next leader of the Kremlings, Venom, and Team Rocket will do better, because he is either going to be Scales or you."

X froze for a minute, but K. Rool kept speaking. "The two of you have naturally superior qualities to any of my pure-blooded Kremling children. One of you will take my place."


	8. Chapter 8

This chapter still comes before the end of chapter six.

* * *

Giovanni was thrown into a holding cell beneath the resort. The bricks in this room were cobblestone. The Kremling guards shoved him into a barred cell with what looked like a snow monkey sitting on the lower cot of a bunkbead. They slammed the door shut behind him. He turned around and started screaming at the guards.

"I'm the leader of Team Rocket, you can't do this to me! I demand to appeal to King K. Rool in person!"

Andrew did not listen too carefully to Giovanni at the moment. That was his wrist translator's job. When it had heard enough of this creature's language to lock on to syntax patterns it would translatehis words into Andrew's language. Andrew removed the glove covering his right hand to touch his translator.

Seeing that he was having no luck in getting the guards to hear him, Giovanni started pacing. Andrew tried speaking to him, for his wrist translator to have something to work with, but Giovanni was oblivious to Andrew's intent. That didn't matter though; his verbal prompting got Giovanni to respond.

Giovanni looked at Andrew with irritation. "What do you want? I can't speak any Mushroom languages."

Andrew kept talking. "I said I don't understand you!" Giovanni shot back. "If you want to communicate with me speak a language I know!" Then Giovanni realized that there was probably no language that they shared in common, and he would be very annoyed if the monkey didn't realize that soon.

The monkey pointed to his wrist band then to his mouth and motioned for Giovanni to keep speaking.

"Are you saying that that device will help us to understand each other? How?" Andrew ignored Giovanni and kept motioning for him to speak. Giovanni obliged.

"My name is Giovanni, Chief Executive of Team Rocket. My mother founded our organization that organization with K. Rool's money. She encouraged me to follow in her footsteps until she and K. Rool decided to genetically engineer an heir, a psychic Pokémon. I lost my wife in their search for DNA."

"What happened in whose search for DNA?" Andrew asked, his wrist translator finally working.

"My wife died," Giovanni said, taking a seat next to Andrew on the cot, as Andrew put his glove back on.

"It was for my organization, while K. Rool was using my mother to run it."

"So you ran a criminal empire before they got you? I was Emperor of the planet Venom."

Giovanni was shocked to hear this. He knew that K. Rool had devices that enabled him to travel between dimensions, but he never knew that the Kremlings had space travel too. It was no wonder that K. Rool wanted creatures like Mewtwo.

"So K. Rool conquered your planet?"

Andrew gestured with his palms facing Giovanni. "More or less. The Kremlings have no space vessels. It was technically his half-breed son, the Grand Chieftain of the SharpClaw, who dethroned me."

And so an alliance was made in the prison cell, an alliance which K. Rool's cameras caught, with full audio.

* * *

That night Mewtwos X and Y embraced in bed. X touched his hand to Y's abdomen where their child was growing. They were felines and most feline pregnancies lasted three months. They would not be waiting long.

"If she is a girl," X said, "I want to name her Miyamoto." X let his memories of Giovanni's rant flow into Y's head.

"That's Jessie's mother's name," Y said.

"I figured it was only appropriate. She lost her life in an early attempt to bring us to life."

"And Giovanni resents you for it."

"I intend to make peace with his daughter, Jessie. She's not as cold hearted as he is."

"More like not as competent. Giovanni was never just against you. He was against you and K. Rool, primarily K. Rool. I imagine his heart grew colder with all the family he lost."

X laughed. "He was the one who sent Jessie to a foster family."

"To protect her from K. Rool. Remember what he said to you when you pressed him about Francesca?"

X rubbed stress lines on his forehead. "He said he couldn't allow his love for her to compromise his mission. I was reading him when he said that he poisoned her. He was telling the truth. He was also telling the truth when he said he loved her."

"And now that you are going to become a Prince of the Kremlings, will you poison me if I get in the way of your dream?" Y asked and knew immediately that she'd hurt him deeply.

"Scan my mind," he said to her. "I'm thinking of my loyalty to the dream and my love for you. They are both important but one matters more."

Y took the opportunity to scan X's mind. All his psychic defenses were down, she could tell. She felt an intense loyalty to K. Rool's dream, but an even deeper loyalty toward her and their baby.

After she withdrew from his mind he put a hand on her cheek and said, "I'm not K. Rool. If I have to choose between the dream and you, I'll choose you."

He moved in to kiss her. She shuddered as the emotion of love flooded through her. She kissed back and sent similar emotions flooding through him.

"We should get some rest now," X said. "Tomorrow we become Prince and Princess of the Kremling. Scales will have his own ceremony when he gets back from the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Do you think we can trust Scales, now that he's your rival?"

"I think he won't bother us if we agree to submit to him as _Tata_'s successor and demonstrate that we are still loyal to the vision. I've scanned him. I met a mind much like my own."

"I hope you know what you are doing, because I still don't trust your _Tata_."

* * *

The next day K. Rool stood in Kremling religious structure not far from the tourist town where they had all been staying. The building was small, in a garden. Only the location and the outside posts on the path joined by a two horizontal bars near the top marked out the building's purpose. Religion played little part in most Kremlings' daily lives and K. Rool was no exception. However, the assigning of princely or kingly rank was still viewed as a sacred contract between the Kremling people, the figure being crowned, and the Kremling gods—hence the requirement of a religious site for the crowning. The current king was expected to be the one crowning a prince and two Kremling priests held two crowns on pillows behind him. K. Rool looked at the audience. Nearly forty Kremlings, all nobles, stood in attendance. K. Rool and the two priests holding the crowns stood on a raised dais. The priests wore loincloths that reached all the way to the ground, with multicolored cloth covering their shoulders and upper chests. Their faces were painted pink on the eyes and snout while the backs of their heads were painted blue; the colors of the energy released from the volcano on Crocodile Isle while it still stood.

The last individuals to arrive were the Mewtwos. The walked down the Red carpet that partitioned the room. Upon reaching its end they saw a set of steps on the far left leading up the dais. As the Mewtwos approached K. Rool could feel Y probing his mind. He knew she didn't trust him. He also knew that none of the Kremling's would expect X to disown her. So K. Rool turned his full attention toward X.

"Mewtwo X, do you give your solemn word to defend to the best of your ability the interests of the Kremling Empire?"

X felt K. Rool think to him, _Your mate will not be put in jeopardy._

X psychicaly relayed the feeling to Y.

Y sarcastically projected to her mate, _I'm so relieved_.

"I do," X said.

"Do you give your solemn word to raise your children to do likewise?"

"I do."

"Then," K. half turned and motioned for one of the priests, and took the crown from him.

"I crown thee Mircea Rulenstain Draculeștior, Prince of the Kremlings." K. Rool set the crown down on X's head. He summoned for the other priest . Taking the other the crown he held it over Y's head.

Without asking her any questions he said, "And I crown thee Érșebet Rulenstaina Meucestiar, Princess of the Kremlings."

With those words clapping broke out amongst the assembled nobles. Should Prince Mircea succeed to the throne he would have powers no Kremling King had ever had before.

X kissed his mate, and said to her, _We're still X and Y to each other_.

More clapping broke out when he kissed her, but he said, _Ignore them. A wall of ceremony insures our privacy_.

* * *

Mewtwo X now had access to the dungeons beneath K. Rool's resort. There was something that he needed to know. His conversations with his wife and his new position as a prince had made this weigh heavy on his mind.

He looked at the room behind the bars. Andrew was pacing back and forth. Giovanni was doing sit-ups on Andrew's cot. There were so few forms of exercise available in the dungeon and neither the former leader of Team Rocket or the former Emperor of Venom wanted to touch the floor with anything but their shoes.

"Hello, Giovanni."

Giovanni stopped mid-sit-up. "Mewtwo!"

Andrew simply looked on as Giovanni got off his cot.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know why you chose Team Rocket over Jessie?"

Giovanni looked confused. "If I had chosen Team Rocket, I wouldn't be in this cell now would I?"

"I'm talking about when you left her as a child," X said.

Giovanni walked up to the bars and stared into X's eyes, eyes so similar to his own.

"I had never raised her to begin with every detail about my relationship with Miyamoto was secret on my end to begin with. If my mother ever knew…"

"You would not trust her with her own granddaughter?"

"She loathed me, calling me her 'brat' when I was well in my twenties."

Mewtwo sensed and his psychic powers confirmed that he'd hit a sore area.

"What was the source of the hostilities between you and mother?"

Giovanni stared angrily at Mewtwo. "She was not your mother! I merely put some of her DNA in you as K. Rool instructed. He was the reason why we did not get along. Ever since she started seeing him Team Rocket became the Pokémon World arm of the Kremling Empire! And there relationship was unnatural! He's a Kremling; she's a human!" Giovanni turned his back to X.

"As one who used an artificially created Pokémon for his organization, you are a fine one to talk about what's natural!" X shot back.

"I keep forgetting; I wonder why. But going ahead with your creation was the best way to get K. Rool to stop pressuring Team Rocket with monetary debts we owed him. I was also going to use you to be my revenge against mother and K. Rool. I didn't want Jessie to be part of a world dedicated to revenge."

X was scanning Giovanni's mind and could tell that while his defenses were strong, K. Rool's were stronger. What he was getting might not be the whole truth, but it was definitely the truth as Giovanni saw it.

"You see yourself as the victim, but you must understand that I was your victim, and your hurting me did nothing to hinder K. Rool's plans. It actually brought them closer to fulfilment,"

Giovanni scoffed sitting back down on Andrew's cot. Andrew had been listening to the whole conversation and said, "So you've both done evil things that you feel you were justified in doing?"

"Yes!" They both shouted.

"People said the same thing about Uncle Andross. Wolf is clearly an anti-hero, now Leon is a high-functioning sociopath. I hope those guys are okay."


	9. Chapter 9

This chapter finally takes place after chapter six.

Star Wolf stood in the uppermost chamber of Ganondorf's northwest tower. It had taken three months to obtain the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage. The official story that Wolf had told Ganondorf was that he was only collecting these pieces as part of K. Rool's plan to help Ganondorf conquer Hyrule. The truth was quiet different.

Wolf, Panther, and Leon had trudged through dirt roads, thick forests, mountain passes, river fords, and desert trails. They had to pretend that they were seeking aid from Zelda and Link to get close enough to steal the two triforce fragments. Their lasers came in handy in escaping Hylian guards and in slaughtering food, but sleeping on the ground without so much as a blanket had taken its toll on the trio. They were eager to return to the Mushroom Universe, but one task—their most difficult—still awaited them. They had to kill Ganondorf and take the Triforce of Power and his interdimensional transporter.

They had persuaded Ganondorf to meet with them in private, rather than in his grand audience chamber. So they were here, in this small room with a small, tan, wooden table at which to sit. A purple banner hung vertically over the door and window and balcony were on the opposite side of the room.

Wolf pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked to Leon and encouraged him to do the same. Leon was ectothermic and the fairly cool weather of Hyrule had been hard on him. He was Wolf's best friend, the team medic, and the one who held the key to defeating Ganondorf. Inside the vest he brought with him were syringes filled with various drugs.

"We'll use a sedative," Wolf said. Panther and Leon both looked at him.

"Ganondorf, and his enemies only want what is best for their respective peoples. We have no interest in seeing either side prevail. Zelda and Link are still alive, therefore Ganondorf will stay alive. He will be here at any moment. I suggest you sit down, Panther."

Panther pulled up a chair opposite Leon. "I tell you Wolf, I will be glad when we are back in Lylat where there are women with fur."

Good ol' Panther. One topic was nearly always on his mind.

The door swung open and Ganondorf closed it behind him.

"Well, gentlemen, I take it your quest was successful?"

"Indeed it was," Wolf said as Ganondorf took a seat directly across from him.

"Then I finally have all three pieces of the Triforce."

"No," Wolf said, "I have two pieces of the Triforce. You have one."

Ganondorf mentally turned over everything that Wolf had just said and everything that he knew about Wolf from the tournament.

"What is your price, O'Donnell?"Ganondorf could easily kill all three members of Star Wolf but he enjoyed toying with their leader right now. He knew that they were planning some kind of attack when Leon got up from his seat. When the chameleon attacked from behind, he would grab him, throw him over his head and hit wolf. Ganondorf stopped thinking however when the needle entered his neck. Leon's sedative would keep Ganondorf asleep for hours.

"Now, we need to collect the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf's interdimensional transporter, and get back to K. Rool."

* * *

"You did _**What!?**_"

K. Rool stood in the room where he had previously discussed his plans with Scales, X, and Wolf. The two princes of the Kremling Empire were both present, seated, but K. Rool's attention was on Star Wolf, also seated.

"This level of incompetence, I would expect from my own soldiers or Team Rocket, but you're Star Wolf! I hired you because you are supposed to be elite mercenaries. Why did you not kill Ganondorf once you had him sedated?"

"Link and Zelda still live. We thought killing Ganondorf would give them an unfair advantage," Wolf said.

"What does that matter to our contract? I need the Triforce to reignite the energy vent of Crocodile Core to raise Crocodile Isle above the waves. I never want to deal with anyone from Hyrule ever again! If preserving the balance of power was so important, you should've killed all of them!"

"I'm not your subject; you're not my king," Wolf said. "I'm a mercenary. You paid me to bring back the three pieces of the Triforce. I've done that. Now you owe me money."

"You'll get paid, I know how to do my job," K. Rool spat back at Wolf.

There was something in K. Rool's voice and emotions that reminded X of Giovanni.

X tried to read Wolf now. Wolf was a creature of few moral inhibitions but he did everything with a sense of fair sportsmanship. X could not read specific thoughts, but he caught th essence of the way O'Donnell viewed himself.

"You shall find the agreed upon price has been entered in your bank account, though I think the thrill of the hunt was incentive enough for you." Even without his psychic powers, X thought that statement could have come straight from Giovanni's mouth ,

"Don't judge them too harshly, _Tata,_" Scales said. "If it's a cause they're invested in, they're dedicated fighters."

"That's great for them, Scales, but your priorities must extend beyond the Lylat System. I still can't believe you trusted Powalski as your regent while you and the generals were at our meeting."

X turned his thoughts to Leon, who was obviously hurt, though X could not pinpoint the exact cause. Leon's mind was quiet simply different from any other X had ever encountered. He remembered Andrew's words: Leon Powalski was a high-functioning sociopath.

"I have nothing more to say to Star Wolf at this time," K. Rool said.

Scales rose from his seat, "Star Wolf is as of this moment back on my payroll. You may be done with them, _Tata_, but I'm not."

"Fine," K. Rool paced, "Order them out of this room."

Scales motioned and the mercenary team left the room. K. Rool sat in the chair at the head of the table with only X and Scales in attendance.

"So what is this about Giovanni that is making you question your commitment to our cause, X?"

"I've see been talking to him, probing his mind, and I see how in his eyes our cause destroyed his family."

K. Rool anticipated X's next words and said, "But Giovanni never saw the big picture, X. You do."

"My loyalty to the dream has not wavered in the slightest, I merely have plural loyalties and a few dreams of my own. My son, Crășa, is only the third Mewtwo to exist, and Y and I have plans for many more children. I cannot accept leadership of the Kremling Empire and fulfill the dream of giving rise to a Mewtwo species. I need the genetic research of the Empire and Team Rocket to create mates for my children. I can still lead our efforts in the Pokémon World, but I cannot manage the full spectrum of our activities. I hereby submit to my brother, Ivar Krasjason Bluescale, and offer no resistance to his assuming your mantle."

Scales smiled widely, exposing his fangs. "Do you really mean that, X?"

X nodded. "I can't run an interdimensional empire and raise a family at the same time. I will remain a Prince of the Kremling Empire, but I don't want what happened to Giovanni to happen to me." He looked at K. Rool in the eyes, "And I most assuredly do not want to do to my mate or children what you did to my mother."

While X was trying to project his thoughts and fears to one that he expected to be an understanding parent, Scales interrupted and said, "I accept your submission, brother. You will still be second in the Empire after myself, and perhaps one of your children will be my successor."

X got down on his knees and said, "Thank you, brother."

K. Rool stood up. "I forbid the succession to be decided this easily. X has far more power than you do, Ivar!"

"What good is that power if he does not want to use it on that level? _Tata_ be reasonable! He will still be loyal to us and the next generation of Mewtwos might feel differently about ledership."

"The dream of restoring our ancient society and spreading it ways throughout the multiverse is more important to me than either one of you, and you should feel more loyalty to the dream than to me!"

K. Rool turned his back on Scales and X. "You have both made me angry: You, X, with your lack of loyalty to the dream; and you Scales by your attempt to bury me under the succession. Leave me, both of you, while I try to get over my anger."

X tried to read his _Tata_'s feelings but there was a solid wall he could not penetrate.

* * *

Scales was on board his battle cruiser that Star Wolf was currently using to house their Wolfens. Scales was in his command room. He had summoned Bowser, who had been living on board since the collapse of the Koopa Kingdom, because he knew the Koopa King would love what he was about to suggest. He had also summoned the agent of his plans, Leon Powalski.

"Bowser, how would you like hearing about the death of my father?"

Bowser hesitated. Scales had yet to bring him before K. Rool. He had so far been spared the ultimate humiliation of being forced to kiss his enemy's feet.

"Is this a trick question, Majesty?"

"No. He has served his purpose. Even now Venomese engineers are combining the pieces of the Triforce and searching for ways to harness its power. When that day comes, I will be able to raise Crocodile Isle, and open portals large enough to send my invasion fleet to other dimensions. The only thing standing between myself and ultimate power is my father."

Bowser carefully measured his words. "If Your Majesty does decide to kill him, your vassal wouldn't complain."

The doors to the chamber slid open and Leon Powalski entered. The door slid shut behind him.

"Your Majesty called?" Scales saw that Leon was not wearing the vest with the all the drugs, toxins, and pathogens in the syringes in its pockets. Rather, he was wearing his usual purple spandex flight suit.

"There is someone I want you to assassinate."

"The more important the target, the higher the price," Leon said.

"Is one hundred thousand credits enough for murdering my father and making his death appear natural?"

Leon smiled. "If he were head of a multiplanet empire like Andross, I could not do the job for any less than one million. However your father does not even control one planet without you and the Mewtwos. One hundred thousand would be a fair price if I knew we weren't facing a civil war on the Pokémon front."

"We won't be. Mewtwo X has already submitted to me as K. Rool's successor."

"Why would he do that?" Bowser asked.

"He wants his primary responsibility to be his family. He can't manage an interdimensional empire and parenthood at the same time. He will work for me in the Pokémon world, and leave the responsibility of managing the entire empire on my shoulders."

"I wish I could've done that," Bowser said.

"Bowser, stop worrying about your children, they are receiving proper Venomese educations. One day one will return to lead the Koopas under the Venomese Empire."

Bowser hung his head low, "And the others?"

"It is my goal to get them all back to you, but there must be no doubt that Venom, not the Kremlings but Venom, conquered the Koopas." Scales swiveled his chair so that he looked out the massive window at the evening sky. "The Kremlings and SharpClaw gave birth to me, but it was Andross who taught me how to run an empire."


End file.
